Risoldis ordered to face trial in Bucks County insurance fraud case

Bill Fraser Staff Photographer, Bill Fraser Staff Photographer

Bill Fraser Staff Photographer, Bill Fraser Staff Photographer

Chris PalmerOf The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS)

DOYLESTOWN — Claire Risoldi, a prominent fundraiser for Bucks County Republicans accused of conspiring with her family to steal $20 million from an insurer, Wednesday was ordered to face trial on more than a dozen charges, including being part of a corrupt organization, fraud, and witness intimidation.

After more than six days of testimony at a preliminary hearing, District Judge C. Robert Roth also decided that Risoldi's son, daughter, and daughter-in-law face the corrupt-organization count, although some lesser charges against them were dropped.

Defense attorneys had spent hours Wednesday morning arguing that the racketeering charge was "beyond a stretch" and that Claire Risoldi was not "the godmother of an organized crime family."

A conviction on that charge alone carries a maximum jail term of 20 years.

Prosecutors called about 20 witnesses to support their contention that the Risoldi family and two others conspired to collect inflated insurance payments after three fires in five years at the family's Buckingham Township estate. The proceeds, prosecutors allege, were used to fund the Risoldis' extravagant lifestyle.

Disagreements over the merits of those charges boiled over Wednesday morning before Roth delivered his decision.

McMonagle also accused prosecutors of ruining the family's lives with trumped-up allegations, and invoked the name of Tom French, Risoldi's late husband, who killed himself a few weeks after he was also charged in the case.

"Sometimes it can go too far," McMonagle said while staring at prosecutors.

Mary Maran, attorney for Risoldi's daughter-in-law, Sheila Risoldi, called the charges against her "spit and dust pushed together with duct tape." To wrap up her closing statement, she angrily tossed a sheet of paper onto the prosecutors' table.

"It is such complete and utter garbage that she is here," Maran said at one point.

Roth apparently disagreed.

The judge, of Quakertown, did not explain his rationale for his decision. In a preliminary hearing, a judge is tasked with determining whether there is enough evidence to send each charge to county court.

Roth did dismiss some lesser counts against Risoldi's family members, including forgery and obstruction of justice. He also threw out the racketeering charge that had been leveled against the family's private investigator, Mark Goldman.

The charges against fabric vendor Richard Holston, who was charged as part of the conspiracy for allegedly inflating invoices for expensive drapes, will be considered at a separate preliminary hearing.

After Roth announced his decision, the Risoldis sat quietly and without a visible reaction behind their attorneys.

They declined to comment on their way out of the courtroom.

Matthew Haverstick, one of the Risoldi attorneys, said he thought the family was overcharged, "and nothing about today changes that."

A jury conviction requires a higher standard of proof, he said, leading him to believe "this case will look significantly different at trial."

Michael Engle, attorney for Risoldi's son, Carl Risoldi, said the family would move forward and fight the "parsed down" charges in court.

Prosecutors simply said they were pleased with the judge's decision and were ready to take the matter to a jury.

"We look forward to the upcoming trial," John Flannery said.

A hearing is scheduled later this month to determine whether prosecutors can keep the family's assets frozen pending the outcome of the case.

And the Risoldis are now due in court next month for a formal arraignment.